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Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau

★ 5.0/10•2026•55m•Documentary
Similars

Henry David Thoreau helped define modern environmentalism and nonviolent resistance, yet his life has been obscured by myth. The author of Walden and Civil Disobedience, he was brilliant but flawed, idealistic but opinionated. A writer, scientist and activist, his words resonate urgently with today’s challenges as humanity looks for ways to live in harmony with nature—and each other.

Ken Burns · Director

Ken Burns · Writer

StatusEnded
Runtime55m
LanguageEN
First Air DateMar 30, 2026

Episodes

Episode 1 - Who Are We?E154m

Who Are We?

Henry David Thoreau’s early life unfolds as a changing nation struggles to live up to its ideals, while industry threatens the landscape. After attending Harvard College, he was inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson to become a writer. Then, a family tragedy deepens his bond with nature, and, disillusioned with society, he builds a cabin in the woods to live simply, deliberately, quietly — and write.

Mar 30, 2026

Episode 2 - Being AliveE257m

Being Alive

Living at his cabin at Walden Pond, Thoreau finds solace in "wild" nature and pours himself into his journal, laying the groundwork for one of two books he writes there. His two-year stay includes regular trips to town, a transformative journey to Maine, and a night in jail in protest of a government that permits slavery — experiences that redefine his understanding of freedom.

Mar 30, 2026

Episode 3 - Several More Lives to LiveE362m

Several More Lives to Live

After completing his two-year experiment at Walden Pond, Thoreau returns to society to test what he has learned about living responsibly. He undertakes new “experiments” as a surveyor, scientist, and abolitionist, and takes two more trips to Maine — uncovering even deeper truths about life and the world. He writes with a new urgency as a lifelong illness begins to catch up with him.

Mar 31, 2026

Actors

George Clooney

George Clooney

Self – Narrator (voice)

Jeff Goldblum

Jeff Goldblum

Henry David Thoreau (voice)

Ted Danson

Ted Danson

Ralph Waldo Emerson (voice)

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep

Various Characters (voice)

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